CHENNAI: The Anti Narcotic Intelligence Unit (ANIU) formed by Commissioner A Arun after he took charge in July last year has busted 50 synthetic drug peddling networks operating in the city and arrested 2,117 in over 700 cases in the last five months of 2024.
There were 11 Nigerian nationals, a Cameroonian, six from other Indian states and two women peddlers among those arrested by the police.
Police seized 710 kg of ganja, 21.5 kg of methamphetamine, 39 kg of ketamine, 11.3 gram of heroin, six grams of cocaine, 156 LSDs and 295 MDMA tablets from the arrested persons. “In 2024 alone, 300 accused arrested in drug-related cases were detained under the Goondas Act,” police said.
The ANIU has been specifically untangling the synthetic drug-peddling network and registered 61 cases in the last five months. As many as 351 peddlers selling synthetic drugs have been identified, of which 257 were arrested.
The ANIU team made a major drug bust towards the end of 2024 and seized Rs 17 crore worth of methamphetamine and arrested 10 persons including 3 members of the ‘Chennai Cartel’ in Madhavaram. Three of the accused arrested in the Madhavaram case were convicted in a Punjab police drug bust case in 2014.
Police Commissioner Arun issued appreciation certificates to the ANIU team on Monday.